Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-01-31
HORRIBLE CONFESSION,
Edmund Unger Makes a Full Confession
of the Murder of August Bohl-A Fear.
full Story.


trunk shipped to Baltimore, has made full
confession of the crime. Unger was arrest
ed Thursday, and after being short time
locked into cell, was brought before In
spector Byrnes.
In the room was table on which had been
placed the hammer with which BOIL was
killed. The knife and saw used to cut up
the body and the rubber cloth in which the
body was wrapped after the killing. The
chair upon which Unger seated himself was
so arranged that he could see little else in the
room save the bloody weapons. He was
asked if he wished to say anything. He
shook his head but suddenly said:
"Bohl has gone to Chicago and will turn
up in few days"
The inspector was sitting at a table and
had the bloody hammer in his hand. He
carelessiy asked Unger what he meant by
then.
The sight of the instruments on the table
seemed not to effect him, and the chief of
detectives deemed the man to be very stub
born.
Inspector Byrnes concluded to say no more
to him at that time, but to confront him at
intervals with people he knew and also to
confront him occasionally with evidences of
the crime.
Mrs. Siegel, wife of the Brooklyn sausage
maker, was brought to identify Unger. He
was much surprised to see her but was not
allowe to talk.
On Friday he was identified by Mrs
Beuse, the Brooklyn saloon keepers wife,
whose husband stored the trunk for Unger
while the latter sought an expressman Every
time Unger lett his cell he was confronted
by some evidence of the crime of which he
is believed to be the author.
A detective watched constantly at the door
of the cell in which Unger was confined, but
under strict orders not to respond if the
prisoner attempted conversation, which he
did at times. Being brought many times
before Inspector Byrnes and his own ac-
quaintances without being allowed to talk at
length rendered Unger irritable and nervous.
Friday afternoon Byrnes took the hammer,
saw, knife and rubber cloth to Unger's cell
and asked If he had not seen them before, in
manner as though Unger had not been half
a dozen times confronted with them. Unger
was startled but said he never before had
seen the bloody tokens. Then he was taken
to the court and remanded and on his way
back remarked to Inspector Bvrnes, "Y ou
are trying to hang me-" The trunk with the
body arrived from Baltimore Saturday. The
body was sent to the morgue. That night
Byrnes went to Unger's cell and asked him
how he felt. pretty WE'LL" said he huskily.
Then the inspector unlocked the cell door
and Detective Hickey called Uuger into the
corridor, where the lights were burned low.
The prisouer stepped forth but didn't see the
Inspector until the latter called him by name.
As he turned he saw Byrnes standing and
pointing at the trunk which had held Bohls
dead body. Unger staggered at the sight
and tottered towards the cell. Byrnes than
took from the trunk a piece of the MUIR
dered mans coat which had been
used to wrap up the body, and holding
it before the prisoners eyes asked him where
the rest of Bohl's coat was. Unger shud-
dered at the sight of the blood stlffened gar
ment and claspng his hands over his eyes he
was about to fall when Detective Hickey
caught him and seated him upon couch in
the corridor. He removed his hands and
glanced about him. Suddenly and with a
startled groan he sprang TO his feet, asking II
he could change his seat and took prodereo
chair. The sofa on which he had been seat
| ed was one found in his room after his arrest
Unger became CHASTITY pale and when assist
ed to his cell he was almost in fainting con
dition. Inspector Byrnes then told Ungel
that he would be near at hand when he wa:
ready to talk little later Uuger called
for Byrnes and said he wanted to tell the
whole truth about the business" His story
was taken down in writing.
August Boil first came to see him, he So
at his saloon at "a Elbridge street in answer
to an advertisement for a partner. Ihey
failed to agree on the terms and later Unger
gave up the saloon and moved to % Ridge
street. BOIL came to live with him there.
On the evening of Jan. 20, 1887, while In
gers son Edward was out, he met Bohl, who
was very powerful man, and who swore al
his hard luck and called Unger vile name.
Unger replied, he says, aud put out his
hand to shove BOIL away. Behl knocked
him down, and seizing knife from the table
chased him into a bedroom. There Unger
picked up a hammer from a chest under the
bed, and as Bohl lunged at him with the
knife be struck him, staggering him. The
second time he struck Bohl the hammer went
into his skull up to the handle aud he fell
back dead upon the sofa. To conceal the
body from his son, who might return at any
moment, Unger placed it on the floor close
by the wall and covered is with BohPs sleep
ing cot and some clothes. When the boy re-
turned and asked for Bohl, Unger said he
had gone out.
"0n Friday, January 81, as soon a. my
how left the house for his work, went eat